# Oil Change Frequency **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** accord, oil, honda\ **Created:** [October 31, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037 "2010-10-31T23:03:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ewhfgh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@ewhfgh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ewhfgh)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/1 "2010-10-31T23:03:28Z")
I normally change oil in my 2002 Honda Accord V-6 every six months even though it doesn’t travel 3000 miles in that time. I last changed the oil in April but the car has been in storage for four months. Should I still change the oil or wait for 3000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/2 "2010-10-31T23:04:17Z")
Wait… ---
**Author:** ![Xebadaih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d07c76/32.png) [@Xebadaih](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Xebadaih)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/3 "2010-10-31T23:12:42Z")
If it were my car, I’d change the oil. The science of oil and oil changes aside, it’s a cheap insurance policy for your expensive engine. ---
**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/4 "2010-10-31T23:31:48Z")
Second vote for waiting. I would not exceed one year from the oil change date, tnough. Obviously you are out of warranty, so a possible warranty claim later is not at issue. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/5 "2010-10-31T23:38:36Z")
There is no reason to change clean oil… ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/6 "2010-10-31T23:46:50Z")
Spring and fall is my minimum standard, All we have is recommended standards, but too often is better than not often enough. It is not a matter of great financial hardship to change your oil to often, and certainly cheaper and more probable of long term gain than car insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/7 "2010-11-01T00:18:09Z")
``` Open the glove box, remove the Owner's Manual, Read the manual. Today you can start with the section on maintenance. Do what it says. No need to do more, but don't do less. You might want to read the whole thing from cover to cover. Look for those magic words [b] whichever comes first[/b]. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Xebadaih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d07c76/32.png) [@Xebadaih](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Xebadaih)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/8 "2010-11-01T02:22:01Z")
I think 7 months in an engine may lead to some breakdown, I’d change it. ---
**Author:** ![wxf048](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/da6949/32.png) [@wxf048](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wxf048)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-frequency/57037/9 "2010-11-01T02:38:45Z")
As you can see, there’s a variance of opinions. There is probably no “correct” answer to this question. You could wait and probably be fine. Even though waiting probably wouldn’t harm anything, I’d suggest changing it now. Oil is cheap. Engines are expensive. Changing the oil now is less about preventing immediate harm and more about keeping up meticulous maintenance. Do it now; it’ll keep up your attitude of taking good care of the car. That’s more important than any single oil change.